12 July 2011

Necessity is the mother of invention, so when you have enough baby arugula or rocket to feed a small army crowding the refrigerator you make pesto. I was thinking ahead when I made this pasta and used up what I had left of a hoard of asparagus too. For this dish I shaved the asparagus finely with a vegetable peeler where it adds it's own special flavour and texture to this pasta dish.

This recipe calls for Campanelle or farfalle pasta. At the time neither seemed available to me but I did come across some Gigli or "lilies" or even ballerine, which if not the same thing are at least similar. These are a delicate but sturdy shape, that has fluted, petal-like edges and a hollow center for capturing your sauce. It adds a touch of elegance and charm to your table don't you think?

There are many whimsical pasta shapes that hold a voluptuous sauce, fashioned after such things as shells, corkscrews, wagon wheels, and radiators. Sometimes the same shape goes by two different names, depending on the manufacturer. Did you know that the Canadian Pasta Makers Association estimates that there are more than 600 pasta shapes worldwide?

I had chosen this recipe from Rachel Ray destined for an event, but, by the time her name would come up asparagus would no longer be in season so I decided to showcase it now. The only change I made was to throw the shaved asparagus into the pot of boiling water with the pasta for the last minute of cooking. It seemed the thing to do.

I am submitting this recipe to Presto Pasta Nights which has been the baby of Ruth over at Once Upon a Feast for over 5 glorious years. Whenever we feel the urge for some pasta we can go over to her site and have years of entries from all over the world to choose from, from pasta salad to lasagna to Pho. There is a pasta for every season, every ingredient and every taste. All of these delicious pasta dishes have been submitted by all of you!!! Ruth says, "As of February 25, 2011 we've published over 3700 entries from all over the world. Every week food bloggers photograph and write about their latest pasta creation… if it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner; served hot or cold; spicy or sweet; from appetizers to mains to desserts." This week the event is being hosted by Tandy of Lavender and Lime.

4. Cook 1 pound pasta (such as campanelle or farfalle) until al dente; drain and immediately toss with the pesto and asparagus. (In the last minite of cooking I added the shaved asparagus to the pasta pot). Season with salt. Top each serving with a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese and crumbled crisp-cooked bacon.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

You have the BEST pasta dishes - always. The flavours here look so yummy and the dish so colourful and pretty. I am never as creative with my pasta due to my traditional carnivore turning his nose up at too many veggies.:)Valerie

hmmm... dressing up the arugula pesto with asparagus and ricotta sounds yummy! for those interested in the new generation of whole grain pastas (whole grain but with much better taste), there has been is wonderful nyt article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/13/dining/13appe.html

These are all my absolute favourite summer ingredients in this, so I've bookmarked this for when summer returns to my part of the world. Love your little pasta "lillies" - I have never seen those before - very cute.Sue :-)

I've never heard of this pasta shape and will have to seek it out! What a wonderful summer recipe with the pesto and arugula! I've been away for 10 days now, and am so anxious to get back to my kitchen! I hope it's cool in Canada, cuz we're frying down here in the States.

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 9 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.